De-reeling device



Oct. 28, 1958 M. L. BOOKOUT 2,858,088

DE-REELING DEVICE Filed March 25, 1955 8 2 Sheets-Shed 1 INVENTOR. MELVIN L. BOO/(OUT A T TORNE Y5 Oct. 28, 1958 M. 1.. BOOKOUT DE-REELING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1955 INVENTOR MELVIN L. BOOK OUT l J 4115 f M ATTORNEYS saw United States Patent DE-REELING DEVICE Melvin L. Bookout, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to Rea %agnet Wire Company, Incorporated, Fort Wayne, d.

Application March 25, 1955, Serial No. 496,734

4 Claims. (Cl. 242-128) The present invention relates to a dereeling device, and more particularly to a de-reeling device for withdrawing a continuous length of copper Wire from an annular container.

In the magnet wire industry it is and has been common practice to Wind or store relatively large quantities of copper wire on spools having opposite end flanges. Many different expedients have been used in withdrawing wire from these spools at relatively high velocities, one of which is to place the spool on one end of the flange and withdraw the wire in an axial direction. By reason of the presence of the upper end flange and the manner in which the wire is wound on the spool, there is an upper limit to the velocity at which wire may be withdrawn. Automatic or semi-automatic coil winding machines which withdraw wire from the spools, therefore, cannot operate at speeds in excess of this upper limit, so it is at once apparent that the use of spools for storing relatively lOng lengths of wire constitutes a limiting factor in the production rate of coils.

This invention departs from the prior art arrangements which utilize spools and instead makes use of an annular container for the wire and particular tensioning and dampening devices for withdrawing the wire at a high velocity from the container. Similar devices are disclosed and claimed in Sheldon application Ser. No. 485,665, entitled Wire Dispensing Device, filed February 2, 1955, and Whearley application Ser. No. 492,441, entitled Apparatus for Dispensing Wire, filed March 7, 1955.

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide a de-reeling device which permits dispensing of wire from an annular container at a high velocity.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dereeling device which may be removably secured to an annular container thereby facilitating use of the device.

It is still another object of this invention to provide ade-reeling device wherein certain parts thereof are detachablysecured in place to facilitate threading the wire just prior to a dispensing operation.

Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that specific changes may be made in the specific constructions illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

In the drawings:

Fig.1 is a sectional illustration of one embodiment of this invention shown mounted on a typical annular container of wire;

Fig. 2 is an opposite side elevation of the embodiment of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary illustration of the clamping b 2,858,088 Patented Oct. 28, 1958 Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the clamping band and the manually operable lock;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional illustration of the means for mounting the cone on the frame;

Fig. 6 is a top view of the mounting device of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front elevation of the supporting frame of Fig. l; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional illustration of a second embodiment of this invention.

With reference to the drawings, and Fig. 1 in particular, the annular container of this invention is composed of an outer cylindrical wall 10, an inner cylindrical wall or core 12 and a bottom 14. The two walls 10 and 12 are coaxially related, and the annular-space provided thereby is adapted to receive a continuous length of coiled wire. In filling the annular space with wire, the wire is first laid on the bottom 14 and in a continuous motion is coiled around the inner wall 12 until the wireis piled sufficiently high to fill completely the annular space. In withdrawing the wire from the container, the wire is merely withdrawn axially in one continuous motion which uncoils the wire from around the core 12.

The de-reeling device indicated generally by the reference numeral 16 is provided at the lower frame end portion 18 with a clamping band 20 which is made of some suitably flexible metal stripping. The band is provided with a toggle clamp 22 (Figs. 3 and 4) composed of two links 24 and 26. The link 24 is fastened at one end to the end 28 of the band 20, and at its other end 30 to a point intermediate the ends of the lever 26. The end 32 of the lever 26 is secured to the other end 34 of the band 20. The band 20 is made of the same length as the circumference of the outer container wall 10, so that when the lever 26 is collapsed to the dashed line position illustrated in Fig. 3, the band 20 is securely clamped about the container wall 10.

At the upper end of the supporting frame 17 is detachably secured a dampening cone 36 which resembles an inverted funnel. This cone 36 is provided with a smooth inner surface for a purpose which will become apparent from the following description;

The upper end of the cone is open as at 38 (Fig. 5) With the opening edge being flared outwardly into an annular flange 40. An eyelet 42 having a tapered aperture 44 in registry with the opening 38 is positioned on top of the flange 4i) and is preferably fabricated of a smooth plastic material such as nylon.

The eyelet 42 is clamped onto the end flange 40 by means of a C-clamp 46 provided with an annular inclined clamping surface 48. The upper portion of the C-clamp 46 is provided with an overhanging ledge or shoulder 50 which serves as an abutment engageable by the eyelet 42. The clamp 46 is fitted over the eyelet 42 and the annular flange 40, so that upon tightening the set screw 52 the clamp jaws are forced inwardly into gripping engagement with both the flange 48 and the eyelet 42. The clamping surface 48 engages the outer edge of the flange 4t and forces the assembled eyelet upwardly against the overhanging ledge 58. Thus, the eyelet 42 is securely fastened in position on the upper end of the cone 36.

Extending from the rear of the clamp 46 is the mounting stud 54 which is received by an opening 56 in the upper end of the frame 17 (Fig. 7). A rectangular groove or recess 58 in registry with the opening 56 is adapted to receive snugly the rear portion 60 of the clamp 46. By reason of this snug fit, the clamp 46 is restrained against pivoting movement and is thereby firmly secured in position. Final mounting of the clamp 46 on the frame 17 is provided by means of a thumb screw 62 in the frame 17, which is turned to bear forceably against the stud 54. Upon completion of this assembling operation, vthecone 36 is properly lockedinposition relative to the clamping. band 26 Removal of the cone assembly 36 from the frame 17 is simply accomplished by unscrewing the thumb screw 52 sufiiciently to allow withdrawal of the clamp 46 from the frame.

The frame 17' extends upwardly beyond the cone 36 to provide a capstan mounting member or post 64. A conventional, frictionally braked, grooved capstan 66 is rotatably mounted on the post 64 immediately above the eyelet aperture 44. A suitable capstan- 66 is disclosed in Snyder Patent 1,956,631.

Immediately above the eyelet 42' and mounted on the frame 17 is a conventional tension clasp 63 having two engageable. fiber pads 70- and 72, respectively, which. are normally urged together under pressure of a suitable spring 74. This clasp is conventional in the art and receives between the fiber padsz'm and 72 a strand of wire which is being withdrawn. from the container 10, 12. Another tension clasp 74 is fixedly secured to the frame post 64 by means of a suitably rigid arm 76 and also receives therebetween a strand of wire which extends from the capstan 66.

A de-reeling ring 78 loosely fits over the core 12 of the container to rest on top of the stored wire 550. The details of this de-reeling ring 78 are specifically described and claimed in Whearley application Ser. No. 492,441, entitled Apparatus for Dispensing Wire, filed March 7, 1955.

Wire is withdrawn from the de-reeling device just described at a relatively high velocity, usually by automatic or semi-automatic coil winding machines. Examples of such machines are those which wind stators of fractional horsepower motors, yokes for television receiver picture tubes, electromagnets for relays, and the like. Wire for use with these various machines is packaged in annular containers 1t 12.

In operation, a full container 10, 12 of wire is placed on a supporting surface. The de-reeling device of Fig. 2 is mounted adjacent the upper container end as shown in Fig. 1 and secured in place by means of the clamp 22. When this is done, the cone 36 is coaxially positioned with respect to the annular container 10, 12.

The cone 36 is disassembled from the frame 17 and the Wire 84) is threaded through the eyelet aperture 44. The cone 36 is reassembled to the frame and the wire is wrapped one or two turns as needed around the capstan 66 after being gripped by the two pads 7d, 72. After passing the wire around the capstan 66 it is also clamped between pads of the clasp 74. In withdrawal of wire from the container it is pulled in the direction of the arrow F as shown in Fig. l.

The eyelet 42 is preferably made of nylon material in order to prevent scuifing enamel or other insulation from the wire as it is being dispensed. Likewise, the internal surface of the cone 36 is made smooth to prevent damaging the wire insulation.

When wire is withdrawn at a relatively high velocity, there is a tendency for the wire to be thrown outwardly by the centrifugal force generated as the'wi-re revolves about the core 12. Without the cone 36 or the de-reeling ring 7 3, this centrifugal action tends to throw the wire ahead of itself as it revolves about the core 12, thereby causing it to become knotted or entangled. Once this occurs, the machine must be stopped in order to remove the knot.

The dc-reeling ring 78, as explained in the aforesaid Whea-rley application, alone reduces the tendency of the dispensed wire to knot or entangle, and further the inverted cone 36 restricts the degree to which the wire is thrown outwardly and because of its inclination gradually guides the 'wire through the eyelet aperture 44 into alignment with the capstan 66.

The cone 36' acts as a dampener for the wire being pulled from the container thereby materially reducing the tendency of the wire, because of its inertia, from looping ahead of itself and becoming knotted or entangled. This cone assembly 36 when used alone permits dispensing the wire at relatively high velocities; however, when it is used in combination with the dc-reeling ring 78, such velocities may be further increased without encountering the difficulties of knotting or entangling.

Since this invention relates to the high speed production of electrical inductors, it is necessary that its usev with an eyelet insert 82. A C-clamp similar to clamp 46 of Fig. 5 is used to secure the insert 82 to the cone and to provide support for this assembly from theframe 1.7. The aperture 84 in the insert 82 receives the wire strand the same as the aperture 44 of Fig. 5.

What is claimed is:

l. A de-reeling device adapted to be detachably mounted on and immediately above a container for wire com-- prising a supporting frame having opposite end portions,.a flexible clamping band secured to one end portion. of said frame, a locking device on said band for detachably clamping said band around the container, a dampening, cone supported by the other end portion of said frame in inverted position, said cone having an opening inits vertex, an eyelet member having an aperture which. is smaller than said opening in registry with said opening;

and a device for mounting said cone on-said other endxporr tion; said mounting device including a C-clamp which: clamps said eyelet member onto said cone and which also clamps directly onto said cone, and a locking device.

which detachably secures said mounting device 'on sairb other frame end.

2. A de-reeling device adapted to be detachably mounted on and immediately above a container for wire com-1, prising a supporting frame having opposite end portions,.;

2. flexible clamping band secured to one end portion-of said frame, a locking device on said band for. detachably clamping said band around the container, a dampening cone supported by the other end portion of said frame in inverted position, said cone having anaopening."

in its vertex, an eyelet member having an aperture which is smaller than said opening in registry with saidoopene ing, and a device for mounting said cone on said other end portion; said mounting device including a. C-clamp. which clamps said eyelet member onto said cone and: which also clamps directly onto said cone, [a socketihaving parallel sides provided in said other frame end, said 1 mounting device fitting into said socket and engaging'sa'id sides to be secured against movement, and a lockmgserew for detachably securing said mounting device into said socket.

3. A de-reeling device adapted to be detachably mounted on and immediately above a container for wire comprising a supporting frame having opposite end portions,

a flexible clamping band secured to one end portion of said frame, a locking device on said band for detachabl-y clamping said band around the container, a dampening curely onto said cone, a socket having parallel sides provided in said other frame end, said mounting device fitting into said socket and engaging said sides to be secured against movement, and a locking screw for detachably securing said mounting device into said socket.

4. A de-reeling device adapted to be detachably mounted on and immediately above a container for wire comprising a supporting frame having opposite end portions, a flexible clamping band secured to one end portion of said frame, a locking device on said band for detachably clamping said band around the container, a dampening cone supported by the other end portion of said frame in inverted position, said cone having an opening in its vertex, said cone having an outwardly extending annular flange surrounding said opening, an eyelet member having an aperture which is smaller than said opening in registry with said opening, and a device for mounting said cone on said other end portion; said mounting device including a C-clamp which grips said annular flange and said eyelet member together, and a locking device which detachably secures said mounting device on said other frame end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 745,832 Hanson Dec. 1, 1903 1,815,532 Vesey July 21, 1931 1,848,982 Webb Mar. 8, 1932 1,956,631 Snyder May 1, 1934 2,048,511 Newton July 21, 1936 2,170,194 Griggs Aug. 22, 1939 2,242,053 Chapman May 13, 1941 2,552,086 Bugg May 8, 1951 2,620,997 Lyon Dec. 9, 1952 2,629,566 King Feb. 24, 1953 2.752.108 Richardson June 26, 1956 

